Quiz: Howstuffworks

Can You Name These U.S. Cities from Three Clues?

Isadora Teich

Image: shutterstock

About This Quiz

Is your mind a road map of America's great cities? The United States of America has a population of over 325 million people. It is the third most populous country on earth, following China and India. In this large country, the vast majority of people live in major cities. Whether it's the East Coast, the West Coast or somewhere in the middle, about 80% of all Americans work and live in urban areas, or in suburbs directly surrounding them. This is where it is easiest to find work, which is what attracts many Americans from rural areas. In fact, the overall population in urban areas is rising, while that in rural areas has fallen.

Despite not being as densely populated or large in area as other cities in the Americas or Eurasia, many American cities are global icons that have had a huge influence on the world. When it comes to finance, tech, art, media and culture, many American cities have set global standards for decades. Some of these places are even currently on the cutting edge. All across this country are massive centers of art, medicine, commerce, food and more.

If you think you know America's cities like the back of your hand, take a crack at this quiz!

This city is in a desert, is famous for its casinos and is full of luxury resorts.

Phoenix

Las Vegas

Philadelphia

Detroit

Las Vegas, Nevada, sits in the Mojave desert. It's 4-mile-long Vegas Strip is famous for its 24-hour casinos, entertainment options and elaborate displays.

This city is known for Hollywood, celebrity sightings and intense traffic.

Phoenix

Los Angeles

Billings

Duluth

Los Angeles is the commercial, cultural and financial center of Southern California. It is a world-famous center of film and television production.

This city is the largest in America by population, it's the home of Broadway theater, and it is on the East Coast.

Chicago

Portland

New York City

Houston

New York City is the largest city in America, with over 20 million people living in its metropolitan area. New York City also has the largest foreign-born population density of any city on Earth.

___________ is known for clam chowder, cream pie and a very distinctive accent.

Miami

Boston

San Francisco

Amarillo

Boston is one of the oldest cities in America. It is located in Massachusetts.

This city is in Texas, is known for its arts district, and is where JFK was assassinated.

Austin

New Orleans

Dallas

Providence

Dallas is the ninth most populous city in the U.S., with a population of roughly 1.3 million people. It is a commercial and cultural hub.

__________ is the location of the White House, home to many free museums and the capital of the U.S.

Seattle

Austin

Washington, D.C.

Atlanta

Washington, D.C., is the seat of American federal government. It is part of no U.S. state and bordered by Maryland and Virginia.

This city is on Lake Michigan, has an iconic skyline and is known for deep dish pizza.

Austin

San Francisco

Denver

Chicago

Chicago is located in the state of Illinois. It is the largest city in the Midwest.

This city is known for its year-round fog, cable cars and being a center of hippie culture in the '60s.

San Francisco

Portland

Las Vegas

Denver

San Francisco is a small city located in Northern California. It is famously hilly and expensive to live in.

______ is located in the Pacific Northwest, is known for tech and boasts the home of Starbucks.

Jacksonville

Seattle

Harrisburg

Washington, D.C.

Both Amazon and Microsoft are headquartered in Seattle. This city of roughly 700,000 is located in Washington State.

This city is a state capital, located by the Rocky Mountains and known for beer.

Denver

New York City

Orlando

El Paso

Denver is the capital of Colorado and a city with Old West roots. In this city, more beer is brewed daily than in any other city in the U.S.

___________ is known for its live music scene, tacos and parks.

Honolulu

Austin

Seattle

Billings

Austin Texas, is the home of the South by Southwest music festival. It is the state capital of Texas.

This city is known for its tech scene, is located in California and is one of the largest cities in America.

San Jose

Las Vegas

Philadelphia

Detroit

San Jose, California, has a population of over 1 million, making it the tenth most populous city in America. It is surrounded by Silicon Valley's rolling hills.

This city is a state capital, played an important part in the Civil Rights Movement and has one of the largest metropolitan areas in the U.S.

New Orleans

Atlanta

Portland

Anchorage

Atlanta is the capital of Georgia and has a metropolitan area population of over 5 million people. This makes it one of the largest metropolitan areas in America.

This city sits on the East Coast, is a historic seaport and is famous for its seafood and crab cakes.

Duluth

Chicago

Baltimore

Seattle

Baltimore is the largest city in Maryland. It is not part of any county - it's the largest independent city in America.

This city is known for cheesesteaks, the Liberty Bell and the Mummers.

Philadelphia

Los Angeles

Salt Lake City

Nashville

Philadelphia is located in the state of Pennsylvania. An important historic city, it still has many buildings and sites left from the days of our founding fathers.

_______ is the largest city in the South by population, fourth largest in the country, and known for Tex-Mex cuisine.

Portland

Houston

Springfield

Albuquerque

Houston is a large metropolis in Texas. It is known for being a home to both NASA and the Houston Grand Opera.

This city is known as "The Big Easy," is famous for its Cajun cuisine and is known for Voodoo.

New Orleans

Honolulu

Cherry Hill

Albany

New Orleans is a famous melting pot of French, African and American culture. It's famous for its live music and Mardi Gras celebration.

This city is on the Pacific Coast, close to the Mexican-American border and known for its beaches.

Minneapolis

San Diego

Chicago

Detroit

San Diego is a Southern California city with a population of over a million. It is famous for its year-round warm weather.

This city is known for being eco-friendly, is located in the Pacific Northwest and is a foodie hot spot.

New York City

Portland

Philadelphia

Minneapolis

Portland is the largest city in Oregon. It is famous as a hip cultural hub with a thriving arts scene.

This city is not a state capital, but it is one of the smaller cities in the U.S. and known as one of the "Twin Cities."

Minneapolis

Chicago

Las Vegas

Los Angeles

Minneapolis is the largest city in Minnesota and forms "The Twin Cities" with neighboring Minneapolis capital St Paul. It is known for its parks and lakes.

_________ is a state capital, known for its German village area and has one of the largest public universities in the country.

Philadelphia

San Antonio

Columbus

San Francisco

Columbus, Ohio, is the third most populous state capital in the U.S. It is home to Ohio State University, which is the third largest public university in the country, by enrollment.

This city is known for its Cuban influence, colorful buildings and beaches.

Miami

Charlotte

Sedona

San Francisco

Miami is on Florida's southeastern tip. It is famous for the South Beach neighborhood, which is home to beautiful beaches and popular nightclubs.

This city is on the American-Canadian border, is the birthplace of Motown and is in the Midwest.

Detroit

Jacksonville

Harrisburg

San Antonio

Detroit is the largest city in Michigan. Its nickname is "Motor City."

This city is one of the biggest in the South, is the home of the Alamo and is known for its long River Walk.

New Orleans

New York City

San Antonio

Chicago

San Antonio is the seventh most populous city in the U.S. It is in Texas and has over 50 golf courses.

__________ is one of the most populous cities in the Midwest, hosts the Indy 500 and is sometimes called "Circle City."

Chicago

Las Vegas

Indianapolis

Nashville

Indianapolis is the largest city in Indiana. One of its nicknames is "The Crossroads of America," because it is within a day's drive of the majority of the U.S. population.

This city is located in the South, world famous for its music and home of the Grand Ole Opry.

Charlotte

Nashville

Detroit

Seattle

Nashville is located in Tennessee. It's the home of numerous famous music venues and a historic town for country, blues and rock music.

This city is a state capital, often shortened to OKC and known for its cowboy culture.

Oklahoma City

Portland

Cleveland

Honolulu

Oklahoma City is the capitol and largest city of Oklahoma. It has a population of over 600,000.

This city is in the South, is home to the NASCAR Hall of Fame and is a commercial hub.

Seattle

Los Angeles

Topeka

Charlotte

Charlotte is the largest city in North Carolina. It is the 17th most populous city in America.

This city is a state capital, is famously hot and has a massive metropolitan area population.

Columbus

Phoenix

Minneapolis

Miami

Phoenix, Arizona, is the largest capital city in the country. It is the only state capital with a population exceeding one million people.

________ is on an island, is a major gateway to the U.S. and is where you can find Pearl Harbor.

Memphis

Sacramento

Las Vegas

Honolulu

Honolulu is the capital and largest city of Hawaii. It is a major international business hub.

This city is in the South, blues and rock & roll are said to have originated here and Elvis Presley's mansion is here.

Memphis

Cleveland

Tacoma

New York City

Memphis, Tennessee, sits on the Mississippi River. It's a famous music city where icons such as Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash recorded.

This city is home to the Gateway Arch, sits along the Mississippi River and is famous for barbecue.

Las Vegas

Seattle

St. Louis

New York City

St. Louis is an independent port city in Missouri. It is the cultural and economic center of the Greater St. Louis area, which is home to over 2 million people.

________ is a high elevation city, it is known for its Mormon roots and is known for its punk scene.

Miami

Phoenix

Los Angeles

Salt Lake City

Salt Lake City is the capital and largest city of Utah. The headquarters of the Mormon Church can be found there.

This city is in Florida, is large by area, and is known for its waterfront pubs and seafood restaurants.

Jacksonville

Portland

Los Angeles

Salt Lake City

Jacksonville, Florida, is the largest city in the contiguous U.S. by area. It sits along the Atlantic Coast of Northeastern Florida.

___________ sits on the Kansas-Missouri border, has a strong jazz heritage and is known for barbecue.

Los Angeles

San Antonio

Miami

Kansas City

Kansas City is the largest city in Missouri. This city is prominent part of jazz history.

Sponsored Links

About HowStuffWorks Play

How much do you know about dinosaurs? What is an octane rating? And how do you use a proper noun? Lucky for you, HowStuffWorks Play is here to help. Our award-winning website offers reliable, easy-to-understand explanations about how the world works. From fun quizzes that bring joy to your day, to compelling photography and fascinating lists, HowStuffWorks Play offers something for everyone. Sometimes we explain how stuff works, other times, we ask you, but we’re always exploring in the name of fun! Because learning is fun, so stick with us!

Get smarter every day! Subscribe & get 1 quiz every week.

Playing quizzes is free! We send trivia questions and personality tests every week to your inbox. By
clicking "Sign Up" you are agreeing to our
privacy policy and confirming that you are 13
years old or over.